Worth



'(No'MoaeL) 3 sheets-sheet 1.

s.' P. HOLLINGSWORTH.' GA-R BRAKE.

No. 474,958.. Patented May 1 7, 1892.

(No Mqdel.) 3 sheetssheet 2.

. s.'1 HOLLINGSWORTH.

GAB BRAKE. ANo. 474,958. Patented May 17, 1892.

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IIIIIIIIH i RW .M e h s t e e h S 3 H ml. R .O W S G N TI- L L 0 H.. D... S. d d 0 .M 0 m GAR BRAKE.

` Patented May 17, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIDNEY P. HOLLINGSI/VOR'IH, OF VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters I atent No. 474,958, dated Mayl?, 1892.

Application filed February 1, 1892. Serial No. 4I9,935. (No model.) I

To all whoml it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SIDNEY P. HOLLINGS- WORTH, a citizen ot the United States, residing in the city of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Brakes, ot' which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide@ improved brake mechanism that may be read# ily operated to stop the rotation of the wheels'L wheels, and these brakes have been operated either by lever connections or by steam, gas, or air pressure.

According to my invention I stop the rotation of the wheels by means of an improved brake the operation of which involves the use of a liquid to connect two brake members, the ilow or movement of theliquid being controlled by valve mechanism regulated or operated by any suitable means. The operation of the valve mechanism is comparatively easy and may be conveniently effected by the use of compressed air, electromagnetic devices, lever mechanism, and the like, requiring for their control or'actuation but a small expenditure of power.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure lisa side elevation of a standard railway-car embodying my invention with the trucks in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the trucks with the pneumatic valve-operating lnechanism in diagram. Fig. 3 is an end view, on an enlarged scale, of a truck with the truck-frame in section. Fig. it is a detail view, partly in section, showing particularly the pneumatic valve-operating mechanism and its connections. Fig. 5 is a detail view in section of the brake members with their iiuid connection. Fig. 6 is a diagram View of a street-car embodying my invention, showing as a modification lever mechanism for operating the valves. Fig. 7 is a diagram view illustrating electro-magnetic devices for operating the valves. Fig.

S is a detail view of mechanism for adjusting the connection between the valves and their operating mechanism. Fig. 9 illustrates a 2 car.

modification in which two ,brakes are applied to a single axle.

vIn Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, I have shown my improvements applied to a standard railway- The trucks A are in general outline of usual well-known construction, suitably modilied to provide means for supporting my improved brake mechanism. The wheels B are arranged within the pedestals B,as usual, and the axle-boxes l22 are free to move vertically within the jaws of the pedestals. Brackets C are secured to beams C', forming part of the frame, and extend downwardly therefrom on opposite sides of each axle at a suitable distance Vapart to accommodate the brake mechanism. At their lower ends the brackets vmay be tied together and braced by bolts c. I have shown brake mechanism applied to each of the four axles of the car. The brakes are all'alike and a description of one of them will be sufficient. The brake consists of two principal parts-an inner or rotary part D and an outer non-rotary or stationary part D. The stationary member D forms a casing for the rotary. member and is provided with projections d to afford straight vertical edges adapted to fit loosely between the brackets C. The inner member D is cylindrical in form, its diameter being somewhat smaller than the interior diameter of the outer member, a-chamber E being thus formed between the two members, which is iilled with a liquid, such as oil. The brake member D is formed with one or more (four being shown) radially-disposed recesses f, in which are arranged radially-sliding blocks F. The blocks may be luted, as shown at f', so that the liquid may pass into the spaces behind the valves, as indicated. The purpose of this arrangement is to balance the pressure on the blocks, as when the liquid is underV compression it would be diflicult to force the blocks outwardly against the full force of the liquid; but by allowing the liquid to press at the inner ends of the blocks they may readily be operated. The

blocks are provided with friction-rollers f2, which work in cam-grooves f3 on opposite sides of the casing or outer member D.

The cam-grooves are so shaped as to move the blocks in and out at the proper times. The member D being rigidly secured to the axle, it is obvious that as the axle rotates the mem- IOO y F engage. when theypassy the valves.

ber D will rotate and the liquid will be carried around by the radial blocks and the rotation will not in any way be impeded; .butif means are provided for impeding the rotation of the liquid the rotation of the axle will be correspondingly impeded, and if the flow of the liquid is entirely stopped the two members of the brake will be firmly secured together and the rotation of the axle stopped, I accordingly providev one or more valves G (two being shown) to regulate and control the flow or movementpofv the, liquid. The valves, as shown, are rotaryor turning valves, semi-cylindrical in cross-section. It being remembered that the member D ot' the brake is stationary, it is obvious that if the valves be given 'a quarter-turn from .the position shown in Fig. 5 they will be closed and the liquid Vcannot yrotate with the inner brake member-that is .to,sa.y, suppose the axle is rotated in thedirection :indica-ted by the arrow, the block. marked l would press against the liquid and force lit against the valve Grat 0c. Theliquid,beingpracticallynon-compressibleV and having no escape, would form a firm and rigid connection between the inner and outer members of the brake, and therefore the'V rotation oftheaxle would bestopped. The

' other blocks operate in a similar manner.

Opposite eachvalve G, I provide a shield or guide g, against which the valves may work and with the inner sides ofwhich the blocks stead of completely closing the valves they be willnot bev locked together, butthe flow of the liquid will be impeded, so that the speed of rotation will be reduced. It', for instance', the valves are one-half open, the blocks F will push theliquid forward; but as the liquid meets a` resistance in the valves G and as the opening is comparatively small the flow ot' the liquid is impeded, and consequently the speed of rotation reduced. It will thus be seen that thebrake may be applied` gradually by. gradually closing the valves, which is an. importanttfeaturein brake. mechanism. The liquid is con fined between the two brake members. There is nooutlet.v for it., and the joints of the casing, axle, &c`., should be carefully packed. l l y y .It will beobserved that the axle has a free verticalimovement, as is usual, and the brake mechanism maymove vertically with it, as thel brake member D is not bolted to the brackets -C,.but is. simply confined between them, being ,thereby held against a rotary movemen`twhich is all that is necessary.

In Figs. l to 4 of. the dra'wingsI have shown pneumatic valve-operatingmechanism. I-will describe the apparatus specifically as illustrated, it being understood, however, that the details of construction may be varied .and a greater or less number of valves employed than that shown.v Each brakev is shown as provided with two valves, and eachvalve has a crank-arm H. The two sets of valves on It' inl each sideof'each truck are connected by a rod H', so that the valves may all be moved simultaneously. Each rod H is provided with a slotted arm h, which has a sliding connection with the end of a piston t' of van air-cylinder I. vThe, cylinder contains a spring-actuated piston I and has at its rear end a port t', connecting with an air-piped. The construction is such that normally the spring holdsthe valves fully open, so that the axle and the inner member of the brake may freely revolve; but should air o r other suitable fluid be admitted through the pipe J the piston will be forced inwardly'against the force of the spring, and thus move the valves to a degree corresponding with the pressure of air admitted to the cylinder.

As I before stated, it is always desirable to apply the brakes gradually; and so air should at first be admitted gradually, but after a sutcient time has elapsed the full pressure .ot air may be allowed to enter the cylinder and the valves completely or nearly closed, so as to prevent the rotation of the inner brake member. All the brakes on aV train of cars may be readily operated from the engine by means of compressed air passing through suitble pipes or conduits.

In the system I have shown K indicates the main pipe, which connects the engine with all thebrakes. Each set of brakes is connected with the main pipe by the branch pipe .Land there may be located in the system yof pipes suitable check-valves and relief-valves, as partiallyclosed,.the two-members of the brake i may be found necessary. .I provide means whereby the brakes on each car may be op'- erated independently ot the general brakeoperating mechanism. Y

It sometimes occurs that a car becomes detached from the train, and so Iprovide on each car an ai r-reservoir L, which is connected with the main pipe K by a branch pipefk,

which should contain a check-valve. The-A IOO IIC)

outlet on the opposite side of the cylinder be,-

ing closed by the valve Z, so that rthe .brakes on the whole train may be operated fromthe engine without bringing the reservoirs into operation; but should a carbe detached from the train by operating the vvalve Z compressed air may be passed from the reservoir through the pipes to the cylinders I tooperate the valves. Flexible connections for the pipes K, ot' well-known construction, may be provided between the several cars.

Y In Fig. 6. I. have shown mechanical devices for operating the valves. The several valves are connected together. in the manner before described, and the rod H is suitably connectp, extending into the slottedeuds of a consult.

necting-rod P. One of the valves is provided with a spring p', which operates to normally hold both valves fully open. The rod P extends through a solenoid Q and forms the armature or core thereof. The solenoid is electrically connected by wires q with a generator Q', and in the circuit is included an adjustable resistance R. By means of the handlever r the strength of the current traversing the solenoid Q may be regulated to move the core P to the desired extent, and thus open the valves more or less, as may be needed.

. The resistance R, with its hand-lever r, may be located at any part of the train, as on the engine, so as to control the circuit for the entire train for all the valves. In order that the brake mechanism on each car may be operperienced in properly applying brakes simul` taneously to a train of cars. Some cars are loaded more heavily than others and the momentum of the heavily-loaded cars is correspondingly greater than the others. The lighter cars could be stopped much sooner than the heavier ones, and consequently it is desirable that the brakes on the lighter cars shall not be applied so suddenly as those on the heavy cars. I haveprovided means in my system of brakes for accomplishing this re- One way in which it may be done is illustrated in Fig. 8.. As there shown the aircylinder I is adjustable by means of an adjusting-screw T, and as the connection between the valves and the piston of the aircylinder is adjustable it is obvious that if theY air-cylinder is raised or lowered the leverage is correspondingly varied, so that the brakevalves on the several cars may be made to operate at different times and to different extents, as may be desired. Of course the mechanism should be adjusted on each car to correspond with the load, and after Once adjusted all the brakes will operate in the desired manner to stop the train without tending to stop one car sooner than another. Each axle may be provided with a single brake located midway between the wheels; or it may be provided with two brakes located close to the wheels, as shown in Fig. 9.

I claim as my inventionl. A brake comprising a member connected to rotate with an axle, a stationary or nonrotary member, a liquid interposed between the two members of the brake, and means for controlling.,r the flow or movement of theliquid.

2. A brake comprising a member adapted to rotate with the wheels and axle, a stationary or non-rotary member, a liquid confined between the two brake members, means carried by the rotary brake member to move the liquid, and valve mechanism for impeding the ow or movement of the liquid.

3. A brake comprising a member adapted to rotate with the wheels and axle, a stationary or non-rotary member, a liquid interposed between the f two brake members, radiallymoving blocks carried by the inner brake member and adapted to move the liquid relatively to the stationary brake member, and valves for impeding the movement of the liquid.

4. A brake comprising a member adapted member, a liquid confined between the two brake members, radially-sliding blocks, means for operating them, Valves for controlling the movement of the liquid, and means for operating the valves.

6. A brake comprising a member adapted to move with the wheels and axle, a stationary or non-rotary member, a liquid confined between the two members of the brake, means for moving the liquid relatively to the stationary brake member, a normally-open valve for impeding the movement of the liquid, an air cylinder having its piston connected with the valve, and a compressed-air pipe connected with the cylinder. i 7. A brake comprising a member adapted to move with the wheels and axle, a stationary or non-rotary member, a liquid confined between the two members ot' the brake, means for moving the liquid relatively to the stationary brake member, anormally-open valve for impeding the movement of the liquid, an aircylinder having its piston operatively connected with the valve, a compressed-airpipe connecting the cylinder with the engine of a train, and a pipe connecting the cylinder with a reservoir on the car to which the brake is applied. f

IOO

IZO

8. The combination of a series of brakes, each comprising two members connected and disconnected by a liquid and a series of aircylinders, an air-pipe leading to the engine, to which all the cylinders are connected, a reservoir on each car of a train of cars, and connections between the reservoir and the aircylinders of each set of brakes on said car.

9. The combination, in a train of cars, of a series of brakes, each comprising a member connected to rotate with an axle and a stationary or non-rotary member, a liquid interposed between the two members of the brake and means for controlling the flow or movement of the liquid, simultaneously-operated fluid-pressure devices for applying the brakes to the several cars ot the train, independent Huid-pressure devices for each ear, and devices on each car for controlling said independent luid-pressure devices, whereby When a car is separated from a train the brakes may be applied to the detached car;

l0. A brake comprising,r a member connected y io rotate with an axle, a stationary or non-rojusting devices whereby the brake mechanism may be applied more or less gradually.

11. A brake comprising a rotary and a stationary or non-rotary member connected and disconnected by means of an interposed liquid, valves for controlling the flow or movement of the liquid, means for operating the valves, and adjusting devices to vary t'ne movement of the valves, so that they may be operated more or less gradually.

l2. A brake comprising a member adapted to rotate with the Wheels and axle, a stationary or non-rotary member, a liquid 'confined between the two brake members, means for moving the liquid relatively to the stationary member, valves for impeding or controlling the movement of the liquid, an air-cylinder having its piston operatively connected with the valves, and devices for adjusting the connection between the piston and the valves, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

SIDNEY P. HOLLINGSWORTH. Vitnesses:

LLOYD B. WIGHT, R. S. DONALDSON. 

